


Rock-A-Bye Davie

by Into_Oblivion



Category: Megadeth
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Alternate Universe, Bathing/Washing, Brain Damage, Caretaking, Crying, Developing Relationship, Diapers, Disabled Character, Drug Withdrawal, Drugs, Fever, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Infantilism, Kissing, M/M, Needles, Out of Character, Overdosing, Pacifiers, References to Drugs, Sick Character, Stuffed Toys, daddy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:53:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27293752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Into_Oblivion/pseuds/Into_Oblivion
Summary: After overdosing on drugs at a party, an unconscious Dave is rushed to the hospital by his boyfriend, David.Though, when he wakes up, he isn't quite the same.
Relationships: David Ellefson/Dave Mustaine
Comments: 13
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

_"Stupid. How could I be so stupid? How could I have let this happen again?"_

Those were the questions David kept asking himself repeatedly in his mind, as he sat in the chair nearest Dave's hospital bed. 

Of course, Dave just _had_ to screw up again, promising David that he'd finally get sober, and there'd be no more attending parties, but he lied. 

David had been working at the guitar store while Dave was supposedly at home sleeping or watching tv. 

Instead, he snuck out to a party without telling David, as he'd been going crazy by himself and couldn't stop craving drugs...it's like they were essential to him. 

This proved to be a huge mistake, because while Dave was "having fun" mixing drugs with alcohol and loud heavy metal music, he'd never planned on having an overdose. 

David was devastated when he got the call, closing the store early and rushing to the house Dave had gone to. 

He can't forget the sight of his boyfriend lying unconscious on the floor, surrounded by drunken and high partygoers, which were shoved away. 

After several failed attempts at waking Dave, David dragged him to the car and drove him to a nearby hospital. 

He was admitted to the ICU and given a dose of Narcan, which helped him to wake up and start breathing on his own. 

However, when he woke, he wasn't quite the same and David was the first to notice. 

He'd expected Dave to start getting pissy and complain about getting caught doing drugs, but whenever he tried to speak, it came out as garbled and incomprehensible babble. 

David tried asking Dave how he felt and frowned whenever Dave just babbled nonsense to him. 

He only got more worried whenever Dave didn't seem to be capable of sitting up on the examination table, and when he helped him, the red-haired man only slumped back down. 

After witnessing the strange behavior, the doctor had Dave admitted to a room to keep him under observation for a few days. 

David wasn't very happy about this, but figured it was necessary to find out why Dave was acting this way. 

Several tests were then performed to try and get to the bottom of this, with David watching anxiously. 

After all that was over, David was left alone with Dave, who had fallen asleep, snoring softly as the tv played some stupid sitcom. 

Figuring Dave would be okay by himself, David leaves the room to grab some coffee. 

He returns to the room to find the doctor examining Dave once more, writing something down in the chart he was holding. 

"How many more tests will there be? Do you know what might be wrong with him?" 

The doctor nods, removing his glasses and placing his chart down on the counter beside the sink. 

"This is very strange....we've never seen anything like this. I mean, we've had strange overdose cases, but this takes the cake!" 

"Like what? What's wrong with him? Is it bad?" David asks worriedly. 

"Well, it appears that all those drugs, combined with the alcohol he drank has caused major brain damage. His mind can no longer function at full capacity." 

"So what, he's going to be like a vegetable from now on or something? Please tell me he won't need a wheelchair or anything like that...."

"No, he won't need a wheelchair, but he _will_ need constant care and attention, since his mind is now in an infant-like state." 

David shook his head, not wanting to believe anything the man was saying. 

There was no way that he could take care of Dave, work and juggle all the other responsibilities the two shared. 

Besides, how was he supposed to even care for an overgrown infant, having no prior experience with children whatsoever?

"I don't understand. You say he's like a baby now? I have no idea how I'm going to take care of him. I know nothing about babies." 

The doctor nods. "I understand that, but there are lots of books available that can teach you all you need to know."

"Well...here's the big question...will he need diapers, special food? Can he even eat solids? Will he understand how?" 

"I'm not sure, but yes, he will need diapers, since he will no longer realize when it's time to go to the bathroom or tell you when he needs to go." 

David frowned at the mention of diapers, which were another thing he knew completely nothing about nor wanted to, honestly. 

"Okay. Will it be safe for him to sleep in bed with me or does he need like, bed railings or something? What about taking him places? I work." 

"I think you should invest in a crib, if possible. They make them for disabled adults along with carseats, strollers and other furnishings." 

David nods. "Where can I find that kinda stuff? Is it online or is there a physical store I can go to?" 

"There's a medical supply store not far from here, though I'm unsure if they sell cribs and furniture, so you may have to do some digging online." 

"Okay. I'll be sure to check the place out. I want Dave to be comfortable and happy." David smiles, looking down at Dave. 

The doctor makes his way to the door, stopping for moment.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone for a while. A nurse will be back to check on him shortly." 

"I'm actually going to go home soon. I have to work tomorrow and I need to discuss something with one of my co-workers." David says. 

"Okay. If he gets any worse or anything changes, we'll be sure to give you a call. Have a good night." 

David nods. "I will. I just have a lot I need to take care of." 

With that, David left, making his way back home and deciding to call up one of his best friends and favorite co-workers, Nick. 

He and Nick had been friends since college and often spent time together before Dave made his way into the picture. 

Nick always told David he could tell him anything and the two had shared some crazy stories that way, but David was wary of telling Nick about Dave's sudden regression. 

Neither he, nor Nick knew much about babies, so that'd be a stupid topic to discuss, anyway. 

Dialing Nick's number, David couldn't stop himself from thinking about Dave and if he was okay at the hospital without him. 

He imagined he'd be terrified to wake up surrounded by nurses and a doctor, helpless as they examined, cleaned and did other miscellaneous things to him against his will. 

These thoughts began to rub David the wrong way and he was tempted to go back, to make sure Dave was okay. 

Of course, Nick had picked up on this, noting the way David's voice seemed to be trembling and the way he was fading in and out of their conversation.

_"David....hey. You okay, man? You don't sound well. Did somebody die or something?"_

The brunette shook his head and frowned.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just feeling kinda tired, that's all. Dave's in the hospital and I'm worried about him." 

_"In the hospital? What's wrong with him, is he okay? What happened?"_

"Don't worry, he's okay. He went to a party while I was at work and had an overdose. They're keeping him there for a few days because it kinda fucked up his brain a little." 

_"Holy shit. I'm so sorry. If you need my help with anything, just let me know. I can watch your place while you stay with him."_

David smiles softly. "Nah, that's okay. I need to get some things taken care of so he'll be safe here." 

_"Well, if you need to call back another time, that's fine. I don't want to keep you from getting things done. I'll talk to you later, man."_

With that, both men hang up the phone with David letting out a heavy sigh.

He lets out a tired yawn as he leans back against the couch, mind being bombarded with the new issue of caring for his boyfriend. 

David had no idea where to even begin....how was he even going to do this?

How would he take Dave to work without issues and people judging him?

No one would want him there with a boyfriend who has accidents and cries over the sound of people playing guitars. 

It wouldn't be the ideal environment for a "baby" of any age, but David couldn't afford to lose his job, especially with Dave now needing diapers and other various supplies.

Grumbling and tugging at his hair, David smacks his fist against the cushion, knowing this was going to be the most difficult task he's ever faced. 

This would practically make him Dave's "Daddy", and he wasn't sure he was ready for fatherhood yet. 

Though, as his mind began to drift, he began to imagine how cute Dave would be, dressed in a diaper and playing with toys or drinking a bottle. 

At least this would solve Dave's little drug addiction issue for good and he'd no longer have to worry about Dave coming home in one of his moods or if he was coming home at all. 

David only wanted Dave to be happy and now he knew Dave wanted the same for him.

It had been a rocky relationship at the beginning, but now, they'd be closer than ever with a bond that most would dream of having. 

Now with that in his head, David smiles as he makes his way to bed, hoping Dave would be okay. 


	2. Chapter 2

David sighed as he guzzled down the rest of the coffee he'd made, this being his fourth cup so far. 

He'd woken early this morning and found the directions to the medical supply store the doctor had mentioned, taking a trip there once they opened. 

Of course, he wasn't really expecting to get everything in the way of supplies, but he still needed the basic necessities to make sure Dave would be safe and cared for properly. 

The last thing he wanted was for Dave to be upset or in any sort of discomfort, especially in his current mental state. 

As he was browsing the various rows of medical supplies, his mind wandered to Dave, and how he was doing. 

David frowned at the thought of Dave missing him and made a mental note to visit him after his shopping trip was over. 

Picking out several packages of diapers and changing supplies, he moves onto finding furniture, at least hoping to find a stroller. 

Dave would need somewhere safe and secure to stay while he worked in the guitar shop, so a stroller was perfect. 

Making his way to the furniture section of the store, David was pleasantly surprised to find that they had what he was looking for. 

Among the many different models of wheelchairs and strollers, only one stood out to David. 

It looked the most like an oversized infant's stroller and would be the perfect size to fit behind the counter while he worked. 

Finding a carseat was also relatively easy as most of them were for children or teenagers with special needs, though there were a few for adults. 

Apparently, those were somewhat of a rarity and David didn't exactly understand why. 

Seeing as there were only two adult ones to choose from, he decided to choose the safest one, not wanting any harm to come to Dave. 

Once that was taken care of, David then decided to look around for any sort of clothes that were made for disabled adults. 

He hoped there were some that would make diaper changing easier, as he didn't want to have to strip Dave of his clothes to change him each time it was needed. 

After nearly 20 minutes of looking, David breathed a sigh of relief once he'd finally found an entire row of adaptive clothing.

He was very surprised to see that they sold orthodontic pacifiers for older children and adults, so he, of course picked out a few for Dave to alternate from.

Looking through the clothes, David honestly didn't know what to choose, seeing how Dave would benefit from nearly everything available. 

David knew Dave would need a few bodysuits, several bibs, and possibly even a pair of mittens in case he ever got upset and tried to hurt himself or anyone else. 

He browses for a bit before eventually deciding to get everything he thought Dave might need, making his way to the register after. 

David had never shopped for any of these items before, so he was a bit shocked when the cashier rang up the total, which took a good chunk of the money he had. 

He and Dave had been saving up for their vacation, hoping this was the year they'd finally get to go to the Bahamas, but it seems that all that money was now paying for Dave's new lifestyle. 

Though, as much as David wanted to be upset about this, he just couldn't find the heart to be.

Neither of them planned on this happening and he's sure if Dave understood what he's done, he'd be deeply upset and get help.

Now there was nothing more important to David than to make sure Dave was happy and to make this new lifestyle tolerable for him....for both of them. 

After paying for the items and loading them into the back of his car, David makes his way to a nearby supermarket to buy bottles, toys and other infant-related items for Dave.

Parking and heading inside, David greets an employee as he grabs a shopping cart, immediately making his way to the baby department.

Picking out bottles and food was easy, seeing as Dave would most likely be able to eat infant cereal and jarred food with no issue. 

Formula, however, proved to be a bit of a challenge as David had no idea which kind would be best or if it was even truly necessary to buy an adult infant formula. 

Shaking his head, he chooses the kind that claims to be sensitive, hoping Dave would have no reactions to it, as the last thing he wanted was a sick, fussy baby.

Placing the formula into the cart, David then begins to pick out some toys for Dave, being sure to choose ones that won't make much noise. 

Teething toys seemed to be the safest bet, seeing how Dave could hold them in his fingers easily and will enjoy chewing on them if he's fussy. 

Looking through the various stuffed animals in a bin, David smiled as he pulled out an adorable pastel lamb that jingled. 

_"This is so cute! I think he would really like having a little buddy like him to cuddle with."_ David thinks to himself. 

David smiles as he places the lamb into the shopping cart, picking out a diaper bag before he once again, heads to check out. 

Once that's all over, David decides to check on Dave, hoping he wasn't giving the doctor or staff any trouble or vice versa. 

Pulling onto the freeway, David turns up the radio as he begins his journey to the hospital, which was nearly an hour away. 

Meanwhile, Dave had finally woken and was understandably confused as to why David was no longer there, squirming unhappily against his bed restraints and whimpering.

The staff had been ordered to restrain Dave for fear of him accidentally hurting himself or trying to remove his IV out of confusion. 

Of course, Dave wasn't very happy about that, fighting and struggling to free himself, though it was no use. 

It was after many failed attempts to escape that Dave had resorted to crying, hoping someone would let him go. 

He'd never wanted David to be there more in his entire life. 

David would never dream of restraining him, or hurting him at all for that matter, always being caring and patient with him. 

After crying didn't seem to work, Dave just seemed to give up, slumping back against his pillows with a defeated whimper. 

He was on the verge of sleep again before he heard footsteps approaching, eyes widening once he saw it was David, who had a bag in his hand.

David smiled as he made his way to Dave, wrapping his arms around him and hugging him tightly. 

"Hi, sweetheart. I'm so sorry I left you last night. I had to take care of some things, but look....I got you something special!" 

He digs in the bag he brought, pulling out the lamb with an exaggerated, playful gasp, showing it to Dave excitedly. 

"I got you a little lamb! Isn't he cute? Here....you can hold him, honey." 

David frowns once he sees the restraints on Dave's wrists, crossing his arms unhappily as a nurse enters to take Dave's blood pressure. 

"Excuse me, but why the hell is he restrained like that? He's not a mental patient. I honestly don't think that's necessary." 

"They're just there for his safety. He doesn't understand what he's doing, so they're to prevent accidents or IV removal." 

David raises a brow, observing how miserable Dave looked, restrained and barely able to move. 

"Well, he won't be restrained like this at home. He looks miserable! I don't know how you can do this when he has the mind of an infant! He doesn't understand!"

"It wasn't my decision, sir. Take this up with the doctor." The nurse says as she leaves, closing the door. 

"Finally. Now...let's see about getting you free, sweetheart. Then you can give your new friend a hug!" 

David makes sure they're alone before he moves to unstrap Dave, helping him sit up and placing the lamb into his arms. 

Dave stares at the lamb for a minute before he wraps his arms around it, hugging it tight as he makes a happy noise, smile forming on his lips. 

"Aww. You like your new lamby, don't you, Davie? Yes." David cooed, fishing around in the bag for one of the pacifiers he'd bought. 

Opening the box, he removes the pacifier, showing it to a curious Dave before gently pushing it between his lips. 

Dave crosses his eyes to look at the pacifier, giving it an experimental suckle before he adjusts to it, visibly starting to relax from the soothing feeling. 

"I take it you like your pacifier too, huh? I bet it _is_ pretty soothing. I can't wait to take you home...I miss my baby."

David wraps his arms around Dave, giving him a much needed hug and some very deserved cuddles, smiling whenever Dave rests his head on his shoulder. 

"Aww, I love you too, Davie. I promise I'll be the best Daddy possible. Much better than your real one ever was." 

Dave pauses at this, looking up at David somewhat sullenly, the word "Daddy" bringing up a horrific memory that he'd rather not think about. 

David frowns at the look on Dave's face, noting how unhappy he looked and knowing exactly why. 

"I'm sorry, honey. I know that's not exactly the word you wanted to hear. I didn't mean to make you upset." 

Dave just tilts his head, reaching for David and whining softly as he wanted another hug. 

Of course, David can't deny the man another hug as he wraps his arms around him, hugging him tightly as he presses a kiss to his forehead. 

As the two men continue their hug, the somewhat stale smell of urine makes itself apparent and David figures it was time for Dave to be changed. 

"Did you wet your diaper, Davie?" David asks softly as he pulls away from the hug, smoothing down Dave's mane of red hair. 

Dave only stares at him, feeling no shame by what he's done as he no longer understood how to. 

Spotting a nearby cabinet, David opens it, thankful to find wipes, barrier cream and another diaper, which he assumes would fit Dave. 

While he knows he shouldn't take matters into his own hands, he can't help himself and sees this as a learning opportunity. 

Lifting up Dave's gown, David tsks at how soaked Dave was, a bit upset that he'd been left in the wet garment for so long. 

"They need to start changing you more often, sweetheart. You're going to get a rash if they don't. I hope you can come home soon so I can take care of you." 

Dave leans against his pillow, pacifier bobbing up and down as he relaxes and allows David to change him without fuss. 

He squirms slightly as David wipes his bottom and limp member, making sure his baby was thoroughly clean. 

"Are the wipes cold? Aww, I'm sorry, baby. I'll be finished soon. I can imagine this isn't very fun for you." David coos, opening the tube of barrier cream. 

He squirts a generous amount onto his fingers and gently begins to apply it to Dave's most sensitive areas, most notably his penis and butt.

Normally, David would've been turned on by this and so would Dave, but this time, it was different and David got no sexual feelings from this. 

Neither did Dave, obviously, as his member was still limp and he seemed confused by all the touching going on down there. 

Wiping off his fingers, David then slips the diaper beneath Dave's bottom, taping it on snugly and giving the front a gentle pat. 

"There we go, Davie. I bet that feels much better, doesn't it?" David coos, tugging down Dave's gown before disposing of the wet diaper and washing his hands. 

He then helps Dave sit up in bed again, turning his attention to the door as it was opened, with a nurse wheeling a cart into the room. 

She frowns at seeing Dave unrestrained, but decides not to tell the doctor as she saw someone was with Dave and had obviously taken care of him. 

"Time for lunch, Dave. I hope you're actually going to eat for us today. You wouldn't last night." 

David's brows furrow at that and he frowns, hoping Dave didn't refuse to eat because he wasn't there or because he was too scared. 

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll eat since I'm here to feed him. He probably just missed me last night and was scared to eat without me." David says. 

The nurse nods before leaving, and David is thankful to be alone with Dave once more. 

"Alright, Davie. Let's see what slop they expect you to eat here...." David says as he uncovers the tray of mostly pureed and semi-solid foods. 

Honestly, David couldn't identify half of it, and was a little leary of feeding it to Dave, but he knew Dave needed to eat. 

"I have no idea what any of this is. I'm assuming it's just fruit and vegetables or something." David says, reaching to remove Dave's pacifier. 

Dave, however, was having none of that, turning his head away with a whine, not wanting to give up his paci. 

"No, sweetheart. Let's take that out so you can eat your lunch! Aren't you hungry? I bet you are!" 

David moves a bit closer to Dave and after a bit of a struggle, manages to pull the pacifier from his mouth, which only made Dave upset and fussy. 

"I know, honey. I'm sorry I had to do that, but you'll get it back after you eat, I promise." 

Dave whimpers softly, pouting as he looks away from David, upset over what's just happened. 

David frowns, scooping some of the mush onto the plastic spoon provided and bringing it to Dave's mouth. 

"Come on, Davie. Eat your food like a good boy, then I'll feed you a bottle." 

Dave just whimpers, missing his paci and trying to deny the fact that he _is_ actually hungry. 

"You'll get your paci back, baby. I just want you to eat a little for me first. It'll make you feel better." 

After several minutes of coaxing, Dave finally opens his mouth and accepts the food that's offered to him, most of it dribbling down his chin. 

"There you go, Davie. That's my good baby." David coos as he uses the spoon to catch what dribbled down Dave's chin. 

Once it seemed that Dave was full and he began to resist any more food, David decided it was time for a bottle. 

Taking an empty bottle from the bag he brought, David unscrews the lid and opens the nearby carton of milk, pouring it inside. 

He then brings the bottle to Dave's lips, smiling softly whenever Dave seemed to latch on without any fussiness or whining. 

Dave begins to relax as he suckles down the milk, finding it increasingly difficult to stay awake. 

David notices this and tilts the bottle slightly as Dave guzzled down the contents greedily, milk dribbling down his chin and onto his gown. 

"You're a thirsty baby, aren't you, Davie?" David coos, gently petting Dave's hair as the ginger-haired man stared at him, eyes full of innocence.

It's not long before Dave finally finishes off the bottle, letting out a tired yawn as he snuggles into his pillow, eyelids drooping as he struggles to stay awake. 

David smiles, placing the bottle aside and exchanging it with Dave's pacifier, which the "baby" gladly accepted before he finally nodded off. 

"Sweet dreams, Davie. I love you." David whispers, tucking Dave's lamb beneath his arms before sitting down in a neary chair. 

He hopes he can bring Dave home soon, so he can actually be held and cuddled and free of restraints. 

Dave deserved all the love that David could possibly give him. 


	3. Chapter 3

The next time Dave woke, he found that he was sitting upright, with two shoulder straps securing him in place. 

Letting out a yawn, he stretches out in his carseat, rubbing his eyes and whining at the bright sunlight. 

David peeked into his rearview mirror and smiled at seeing his baby awake, not having wanted him to sleep all day. 

"Hello there, sleepyhead. Daddy was wondering when you were going to wake up. Sorry I had to strap you in, I want my baby to be safe on his trip home." 

Dave tilts his head slightly, clumsily tugging at the straps and squirming in his now soaked diaper, which was being pressed against him due to the strap over his crotch. 

Squirming and whimpering, Dave tries desperately to wiggle himself free, growing agitated and fussy whenever he was forced to stay in place. 

David frowned at his baby's fussiness, having expected it from him since they left the hospital late that morning. 

"I know it's not very fun, baby. Just try to hold on for Daddy, we'll be home soon and you won't be strapped in anymore." David coos.

He then decides to turn up the radio to try and soothe his upset baby, hating to see him so unhappy. 

"I don't know if you still like metal music, or guitars, but it's worth a shot...." 

Turning up the radio, David watches as Dave seems to relax, being lulled by the rhythm of a Testament song. 

He chuckles at that and shakes his head fondly before turning his attention back to driving. 

"Well, it's reassuring to know that some things never change, huh, Davie?" 

Dave doesn't respond, eyes glued to the window, watching everything they passed excitedly. 

A soft, curious gurgle escapes his throat as they turn down the street leading to their house. 

They lived in a small, quiet suburb in a two bedroom home, and while it wasn't the fanciest, both men loved it just the same. 

When David had first began his relationship with Dave, the two shared a small, cramped apartment in the city. 

David hated being around all the noise and was often deprived of sleep due to it, and so was Dave. 

Once they'd scraped up enough money, they quickly moved, deciding the suburbs was the ideal place for them. 

After that, their relationship only seemed to get better, with David now having a job at the local guitar shop, where he made enough for them to live comfortably. 

Of course, they didn't have the fanciest things, but were happy with what they had, deciding that was more important. 

Pulling into the driveway, David let out a small sigh, thankful they were finally home and that he wouldn't have to worry about Dave being in the hospital anymore.

"Well, Davie....looks like we're home! Thank goodness, huh? I'm so glad you're here with me."

Dave, having noticed they've stopped moving, lets out a whimper as he reaches for David, wanting out of his carseat. 

David frowns at that, unbuckling himself and heading to the back, opening the door and shushing his baby's whimpers. 

"Let's get you outta this thing, sweetheart. I know it's not very fun to be strapped in there, is it?" 

He grunts as he lifts Dave into his arms, balancing him on his hip as he grabs the diaper bag, heading inside. 

Sitting on the couch, David smiles as he holds his baby boy close, humming softly as he cuddles him, fingers carding through his red mane of hair. 

Dave makes a soft noise behind his pacifier as he snuggles into his Daddy's chest, content to listen to his heartbeat. 

"Aww, Davie. I could just cuddle you all day! Would you like that, huh? I bet you would!" David coos, patting Dave's bottom and feeling wetness. 

He frowns at that, sitting up from his relaxed position and tugging down Dave's pants, he finds how in need of a change Dave is. 

"Oh, Davie....I thought your diaper felt a bit heavy. Let's get you changed before you leak any more, baby." 

Lying Dave down on the couch, David tugs off his wet pants, placing them aside as he grabbed a diaper and supplies from the diaper bag. 

"Hmm...I really think we need to put you in a thicker diaper, honey. We don't need you leaking everywhere." 

David gently pats Dave's knee as he stands up, trusting he'll be okay while he runs to the other room to grab another, thicker diaper.

"Daddy will be right back, okay? You be a good boy and don't move an inch." 

Dave blinks up at David and whines as he watches him leave, reaching and fussing for him. 

In Dave's mind, a few minutes seemed like hours and he had no patience to wait for David to return. 

Unable to stand being away from his Daddy, Dave desperately tries to move off the couch to get to him. 

Of course, this could only end one way as Dave no longer understood how to move well on his own, causing him to roll off the couch, landing on the floor with a thud.

David, hearing the thud, accompanied by a pained cry, quickly rushed to his baby's aid, heart breaking at the sight of Dave crying in pain on the living room floor. 

Part of their living room consisted of brown tile, while the other was carpet and unfortunately, Dave happened to land on the tiled section, hitting his head as he fell. 

Quickly scooping Dave into his arms, David shushed his cries as he examined him for any severe bruises or bleeding. 

There was a small bruise on his head, as well as on his right arm, which he was trying to support himself with. 

"Oh, baby. I'm so stupid! I should've never left you alone like that. Now you have an icky boo-boo...and on your first day home..." David coos. 

He ignores the fact that Dave is wet, hugging his baby close and kissing his boo-boos until he calms down enough to be changed. 

"How about we get that wet diaper changed now, huh? I don't want you getting a rash." 

David lays Dave back down on the couch, cooing to him as he moves to change his sodden diaper, replacing it with a much thicker dry one and changing Dave from his t-shirt to a soft fleece onesie. 

"There we go, sweetheart. That's much better. I bet it feels so good to get that icky wet diaper off, doesn't it?" David coos, lifting Dave into his arms. 

He presses a kiss to his baby's forehead and goes to dispose of the wet diaper, washing his hands after. 

Sitting back down on the couch, David cuddles his baby, pressing tiny kisses to his face as he tries to get a smile from him. 

It's not that Dave wasn't happy or didn't love David, he was just in pain, from his little accident and from the effects of withdrawals, which were slowly creeping up on him. 

No one going through withdrawls was going to be happy, and it's especially frustrating to someone who is helpless against them. 

"Where's my happy baby, huh? Where's that cute smile?" David coos, brushing some hair from Dave's face. 

Dave whimpers softly as he lays his head against David's chest, shivering slightly. 

David frowned at how Dave's demeanor seemed to change, wondering why he'd suddenly started shivering.

It was late November, and with the weather cooling down, David always kept the house warm and comfortable. 

Grabbing a nearby throw blanket, David wrapped it around his baby, hoping that would help, though it was to no avail. 

He knew Dave would have some trouble adjusting to his new life, but he had yet to think about the withdrawls he would eventually suffer from previous drug and alcohol abuse. 

David sighed softly as he continued to cuddle Dave close, only to be interrupted by the sound of his stomach grumbling, demanding food. 

"I think someone's hungry. Come on, Davie. Let's go make you a nice, warm baba. Then, we can take a little nap in Daddy's bed." David coos. 

He stands up and holds Dave close as he heads to the kitchen, placing the "infant" on the countertop as he went about preparing a warm bottle. 

Dave whimpers as he brings his fist to his mouth, drooling on and biting his knuckles with enough force to leave deep teeth marks. 

David looks up from boiling the bottle and frowns, quickly pulling Dave's hand away from his mouth. 

"No, no, sweetie. Let's not do that, okay? I know you probably wanna chew on something. Daddy will get you a toy after you have your baba."

Dave whines, bringing his fist back to his mouth once again, biting his knuckles even harder than before as his stomach grumbled hungrily. 

David sighs as he pulls Dave's hand away again, holding it until the bottle has finished boiling. 

"I think Daddy may need to put some mittens on you. I can't have you hurting yourself, Davie." 

Dave pouts at David, fussing as he tries to free his hand from his grip, failing due to his weakened muscles. 

"I know you want it, honey, but you can't have it, okay? Here....let's go have your baba, that'll make you feel better." 

Running the bottle under cold water to cool it, David then carries Dave to their recliner, cradling him in his arms as he brings the bottle to his lips. 

Dave refuses the bottle until the pain of his empty stomach becomes unbearable and he latches on, soon gagging and spitting up the foul-tasting formula. 

David frowns at that. "Aww, baby. It's really that bad, huh? I'm sorry. I guess silly Daddy got the wrong kind." 

He gently pets Dave's hair as he tries the bottle once more, with Dave refusing to take it. 

"Come on, sweetheart. Just drink a little bit for Daddy. You don't have to finish it all, but please try to get some in your tummy for me." 

Dave whimpers softly as his stomach lets out a final grumble, pain past unbearable. 

Seeing how he basically had no choice and didn't like being hungry, Dave obediently latched onto the bottle, relaxing as he began to suckle down the warm liquid inside. 

David smiled softly as he began to rock his baby, gently patting his diapered bottom as he suckled down the formula. 

"That's my good boy. Davie's a good baby, yes he is." David coos, gently petting Dave's cheek with his thumb. 

The warm bottle, coupled with the gentle rocking motion and facial petting seemed to lull Dave to sleep and in no time, he was out like a light. 

Placing the half empty bottle on the coffee table, David smiled as he pressed a kiss to Dave's forehead, standing and carrying him to the bedroom, grabbing a pacifier on the way. 

Lying with Dave on the bed, David let out a soft, happy sigh as the "baby" cuddled into him, gripping his shirt lightly. 

"Oh, Davie....I love you so much. I promise, I won't let you suffer through withdrawls on your own. Daddy will always be here." 

With that, David wrapped his arms around Dave protectively as he dozed off, enjoying the fact that he could squeeze in a nap with his favorite person in the world. 

A few hours pass before David is awakened to the smell of a soiled diaper, nose scrunching up from the horrid odor. 

He rubs his eyes as he sits up in bed, surprised to see Dave awake and sucking on his fingers, soft gurgles escaping his lips. 

"Hmm...it appears that I have a baby in my bed! What ever am I to do about that?" David coos, sitting up and scooping Dave into his arms. 

Dave lets out an excited squeak as he's moved, tummy and sides tickled playfully. 

"Did you have a good nap, baby? Let's check your diaper, I think you're in need of a change." 

Unsnapping Dave's onesie, David cringes at seeing the mess his baby has made and how close his diaper is to leaking a semi-liquid mess. 

"Uh-oh, Davie. We need to get you changed. Come on, let's go take care of that, then we'll have some din-dins!" 

He carries Dave back to the living room and goes about changing his diaper, gagging from the smell, which only seemed to make Dave giggle. 

As much as David wanted to be upset with Dave for giggling, he couldn't, and in turn, laughed along with him, glad to see his baby happy for the moment. 

"Are you laughing at Daddy? Huh? You silly baby! Oh, I love it when you're happy!" David smiles as he tapes a fresh diaper onto Dave, snapping up his onesie after. 

Carrying Dave to the kitchen, David gently places him onto the floor with some teething toys, keeping an eye on him while he prepares dinner for both of them. 

Dave lies on his tummy, chewing and drooling all over a rubber giraffe, biting down on it and making a surprised face whenever it let out a loud squeak. 

David chuckles at the look on his baby's face, bending down to ruffle his hair before boiling some pasta, turning to dice up a few carrots and chicken breasts. 

Pulling himself up into a sitting position, Dave babbled nonsense as he grabbed at David, clumsily tugging on his pant leg. 

David, however, was ecstatic that Dave had managed to sit up on his own, placing the chicken into a pot before scooping him into his arms. 

"Aw, Davie, I'm so proud of you! You sat up all by yourself! What a smart baby you are! You're gonna make all the other babies jealous!" 

Dave makes a happy noise as Daddy holds him, watching the food cook with wide, curious eyes. 

The pasta looks really interesting, so he reaches for the hot pot, only to have his hand yanked back by David, who then places him back onto the floor to play until dinner was ready. 

Dave didn't seem to mind it too much, and picked up his giraffe once more, diaper swelling as he began to soak it with pee. 

Once it seemed dinner was ready, David seated himself at the table, holding Dave in his lap to feed him. 

He still needed to buy Dave a few more furnishings, like a highchair and a crib, but had no idea where to look or what to look for, exactly. 

For now, they'd make do with what they had, not wanting to stress about it too much. 

Dave loved sitting in David's lap, and he patted at the table as he was being fed his portion of food, most of it dribbling onto his bib or onto David's jeans, not that he minded. 

"I'm glad someone likes my cooking! Maybe I can be a famous chef one day, huh?" David smiles, eating some of his own food. 

Leaning into David, Dave nuzzled him, letting out a small whimper when his stomach began to grumble. 

David frowned at hearing his baby's whimper, gently rubbing his tummy, as he figured it was just gas pains or something of the sort. 

However, it wasn't and David was caught off guard whenever Dave gripped the edge of the table and grunted, pushing a mess into his diaper. 

Thankfully, David was finished with his food, seeing how that little incident made him feel a bit...awkward. 

Now that they were both finished with dinner, David decided a bath and bedtime routine would be in order, seeing as it was getting late and he didn't want Dave to be cranky later. 

"Come on, little stinker. Let's go get you in the bath. You haven't had one since you've been in the hospital, and I want my baby to be clean and healthy." 

Heading to the nearby master bathroom, David strips Dave of his onesie and soiled diaper, wiping nearly all traces of mess from his bottom. 

He then runs the water, placing a few toys into the tub and allowing Dave to keep his giraffe to chew on. 

David then strips off his shirt, not wanting it to get soaked if Dave decided to splash him. 

Dave wiggled happily as he lie naked on the cold, tiled floor, grabbing at his feet like a curious infant. 

Of course, David thought that was adorable and ran to get a camera, snapping a few pictures of Dave with a grin. 

"Aww. Do you have your feet, Davie? Do you? Yes, you do, silly boy! Such a silly baby!" David coos, shutting off the water. 

He then places Dave in the tub and makes sure he's able to sit up well enough before he begins to wash his body with sweet-smelling soap. 

Dave seems to enjoy the bath, grabbing at a rubber ducky that began to float his way, pawing at the water curiously. 

David nudges the ducky a bit closer with a smile, chuckling whenever Dave grabbed it, squeezing it and squirting water at the wall.

"You're being such a good boy! I'm so glad you're not fussy and that you're feeling better. You really had Daddy worried." 

Dave squeezes the ducky once more and is a bit sad when no more water comes out, though he soon picks up his giraffe and chews on it happily. 

Wetting Dave's hair, David hums softly, squirting some shampoo into his hands before moving to massage it into Dave's "mane".

"Your hair's going to look so pretty once I'm finished, Davie! It's already gorgeous on its' own!" David smiles, making sure it's thoroughly clean before rinsing it. 

Dave, of course, doesn't seem to like this at all, coughing and sputtering as he spits out soapy, bitter-tasting water, rubbing at his eyes and only managing to make them burn. 

Now Dave was in full blown tantrum mode, kicking and flailing his arms frantically, losing his balance and slipping beneath the water, only to be yanked up by David, who then hauled him out of the tub. 

David panics slightly as he wraps his baby in a warm towel, holding him close and shushing him as he pats his back, causing him to vomit up more soapy, sudsy water. 

Dave seems to go limp in David's arms, whimpering in pain as his chest and body were aching and all he wanted to do was to be held and cuddled. 

"Shhh....it's alright. Come on, sweetheart. Let's go get you dressed for night-nights." David coos, standing with Dave in his arms. 

He heads to the bedroom, lying Dave on the bed and giving him a pacifier to try and soothe him. 

Dave takes to the pacifier and suckles on it greedily, stretching out tiredly as he watches Daddy gather up diapering supplies and a comfy sleeper. 

Laying the diaper, powder and sleeper beside Dave, David sighs softly as he opens a bottle of lavender-scented baby lotion, squirting a generous portion onto his palm.

"How about we have a little massage before we go night-nights, huh? I'm sure this'll put you right to sleep, honey." 

Dave blinks tiredly, rubbing at his eyes and relaxing as David begins to rub the soothing lotion into his feet and legs, cooing softly to him. 

The massaging, mixed with the calming scent of lavender and the sound of David's voice seems to be the perfect equation for lulling Dave to sleep. 

Dave struggled as hard as he could and fought with all the willpower in his body, but it was useless as David had a certain magic about him that rendered Dave powerless. 

A few minutes later, Dave was asleep, chest rising and falling evenly as his pacifier bobbed up and down. 

Smiling softly, David continued on with diapering and dressing him, deciding he probably needed to wear two diapers, just to be sure he wouldn't leak.

Zipping up Dave's sleeper, David tucked him into bed, changing into his own pajamas and joining him, but not before making sure Dave's Lamby was tucked beneath his arms. 

Tugging a blanket over both of them, David pressed a kiss to Dave's forehead before turning off the bedside lamp. 

He hoped the rest of the night would be smooth sailing, if not, he was prepared to deal with whatever Dave threw at him. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David = (Junior)
> 
> Dave + Junior = Dunior
> 
> Dunior + Nick = Dick
> 
> Do the math, lol. Just a little joke I made up. ;)

David had woken an hour earlier than usual the next morning, seeing as he now had to change Dave and get him dressed for the day, along with himself. 

He had no idea how Dave was going to react to being stuck in his stroller all day, but David hoped he wouldn't be too upset. 

Looking down at his sleeping "baby", he smiled, gently petting his hair as he whispered sweet nothings to him. 

David really needed a shower, but was afraid to leave Dave alone, even for a minute, not wanting a repeat of yesterday's little incident.

It was then that David came up with a brilliant idea. 

Nudging Dave gently, he waited for him to wake, unzipping his sleeper as he was rubbing his eyes. 

Blinking, Dave looks up at David, giving him a smile as he reaches for him, wanting to be held and cuddled. 

Of course, David can't refuse, pulling Dave into his arms and hugging him tightly, free hand moving to check his diaper. 

"Good morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well? I think you did! You didn't wake up at all during the night!" 

David presses a kiss to Dave's cheek as he pats his diapered bottom, gently rocking him. 

The two cuddle for a little while longer until David glances over at the clock, seeing that it's getting a bit closer to the time he usually leaves. 

"Okay, Davie. Daddy needs to take a shower before he goes to work, and since I can't leave you alone, we'll have to take one together." 

David grunts as he stands up with Dave in his arms, carrying him to the nearby bathroom, where he strips him of his diapers before removing his own clothes. 

Dave watches intently, grabbing at his toes before he's once again picked up, being settled on David's hip as he steps into the shower, turning on the water. 

"Look, Davie! It's raining! Isn't this fun?" He coos, bouncing Dave, who lets out an excited squeak, giggling happily. 

David grins at that, hugging his baby tightly before he places him on the floor of the shower, giving him a bath sponge to play with. 

Dave whines, tilting his head as he looks at the sponge confusedly, unsure of what he was supposed to do with it.

"I know it's not a very fun toy. I'm sorry, baby. Daddy will pick you back up once I have my hair and body washed." 

Dave just pouts at that, watching as David scrubs shampoo into his hair and rinses it out, moving to lather his body with soap after. 

David glances down at Dave, giving him a smile and tickling his chin, which earns him a soft giggle.

"You're being such a good boy for Daddy! I'm so proud of you, Davie!" David coos.

Dave babbles softly as he pats at the water, trying to play with the suds, though as he looks up, something else catches his eye. 

He didn't remember Daddy having a dangly thing between his legs.

Why was that there, was it a toy of some sort? 

It was to Dave and he let out a curious noise as he reached up, grabbing at David's penis and tugging it experimentally. 

David yelped at that, gasping softly as he looked down and saw Dave trying to play with his penis. 

In all honesty, David didn't know if he should laugh or be very concerned.

Chuckling softly, David gently grabs Dave's hand, tugging it away from his penis with a smile. 

"No, Davie. Daddy's pee-pee is not a toy. Yours isn't, either." David smiles, lifting Dave back into his arms and holding him beneath the water. 

Dave closes his eyes and relaxes, liking the way the warm water felt as it was rushing over him, making him somewhat sleepy. 

David smiles, enjoying the warm water with his baby and not stepping out until it grew cold and undesirable. 

Quickly drying them both off, David hums as he heads back to the bedroom, lying Dave on the bed and grabbing a diaper from one of the nearby packs. 

He tugs on some underwear and jeans, along with a sweatshirt with the Mtv logo on the front. 

Dave gurgles softly as he sucks on a nearby sock, figuring it would make do, since he has no clue where his pacifier is. 

David frowns at that, quickly prying the sock from Dave's mouth and looking around for his pacifier. 

Dave whines as he reaches for the sock in Daddy's hand, wanting it back, as he liked the way it tasted. 

"No, baby. You don't need to chew on socks, okay? That's yucky! You don't know where they've been." David coos.

He unfolds the nearby diaper, grabbing Dave's ankles and lifting his legs, slipping the diaper beneath his bottom.

Next comes a light dusting of powder, which David massages into Dave's skin, hoping to keep him rash-free. 

The last thing David wanted was for Dave to have a diaper rash or any problems with those sensitive areas.

Taping the diaper on snugly, David smiled as he tickled Dave, making his fingers dance along his sides and on his tummy, making Dave squirm and kick. 

"Aww....does that tickle, baby boy? Huh? Does it?" David grinned, leaning down and blowing a raspberry on Dave's belly. 

Dave lets out a loud, excited squeak, pushing at David weakly, unable to move his Daddy's head away. 

"Alright, alright. I think I've tortured you enough. Let's get you dressed, then we'll have some breakfast!" 

Walking over to his chest of drawers, David opened the bottom one, where he was storing all of Dave's outfits for the time being. 

Taking out a pair of corduroy overalls along with a Tigger sweatshirt that he bought Dave last year, he returns to his baby. 

"You get to wear some big boy clothes today, Davie! Won't that be exciting?" David coos. 

He tugs the sweatshirt onto Dave, admiring how cute he looked and cooing to him as he followed up with the overalls and some comfy socks. 

"Aww. There's my handsome little man! Come here..." David smiles as he lifts Dave into his arms, rubbing his back as his head rests on his shoulder. 

David hugs his baby for a few more minutes, enjoying the quiet serenity, as he had a feeling in his gut that Dave was going to be miserable at the guitar store.

Glancing at the clock once more, David frowned, seeing that it was already 8:00 and he's supposed to be at work by 8:45.

"Okay, sweetie, let's go have some breakfast, then we have to get going." 

David carries Dave to the kitchen and places him on the floor with some toys while he prepares a quick breakfast of two omelettes, along with some banana slices.

Dave eyes the plastic blocks in front of him, picking up a blue one and bringing it to his mouth, though he finds it quite difficult to chew on. 

He soon becomes bored with the toy, dropping it to the floor with a sigh, looking for the giraffe he had yesterday. 

However, the giraffe was still in the empty bathtub and Dave had no way to get it, seeing how he could barely sit up, let alone crawl. 

Pouting softly, Dave leans back against the cabinet door, stomach growling and demanding food. 

Thankfully, the food was done, meaning Dave would be back in his Daddy's arms once more. 

Placing the food on the table, David smiled as he scooped Dave up, sitting down and cutting up his omelette, allowing him to eat the banana slices on his own if he was capable. 

"Okay, honey. Let's get some food in our tummies before we go." David says, bringing a forkful of food to Dave's mouth. 

Dave opens his mouth and allows David to feed him, making adorable little noises as he ate. 

If Dave was still in his adult mindset, David would've gotten upset with the noises and sloppy eating, but this time, it was different. 

Now, David loved to watch his baby eat and drink his bottle, enjoying the opportunity he had to be closer to Dave. 

Feeding Dave the last bite, David allows him to eat the banana slices, keeping an eye on him as he eats his own food. 

Dave clumsily picks up a banana slice and brings it to his mouth, sniffing it before shoving the whole slice in, gagging slightly at the mushy texture. 

He then decides he doesn't want any more of those, pushing at the plate in front of him with a frown. 

"That's okay, baby. You don't have to eat them." David says, standing and placing the dishes in the sink, going to pack the diaper bag as well as Dave's stroller. 

Grabbing the diaper bag, David packs the essentials, diapers, clothes, toys and food, making sure Dave's Lamby was there, as well. 

He slings it over his shoulder and moves to grab Dave's stroller from the nearby hallway closet, tucking it under one arm while he held Dave on his hip. 

"Alright, Davie. I think that's everything! Let's get going before Daddy gets in trouble for being late." 

With that, David grabs his house and car keys, stepping outside and locking the door, making sure they had everything before they left. 

Dave fusses whenever David moves to buckle him into his carseat, hating the feeling of being strapped in. 

He pushes against the straps and growls, trying his hardest to push David's hands away, but David was much stronger than him. 

"I'm sorry, baby. I know it's not very fun being in your carseat, but I can't let you get hurt. It'll only be for a few minutes, I promise." David coos, buckling Dave in.

He gives him a pacifier and his Lamby, gently petting his hair before shutting the door and climbing in the drivers side. 

A soft sigh escapes his lips as Dave continues his tantrum, squirming and kicking at the back of his seat. 

It was in that moment, that he finally understood how every parent must feel when dealing with a fussy toddler. 

Turning on the radio, he looks back at Dave once more before pulling onto the street and driving to work, muttering under his breath when they were met with backed up traffic. 

"Oh, great. This is _exactly_ what I needed this morning...a fussy baby and a stupid traffic mishap." 

David bangs his head against the steering wheel with a groan, hoping Nick and Marty would understand if he's late. 

Nearly 10 minutes pass and David notices that Dave's crying has quieted and that he wasn't making much noise at all. 

Looking into the rearview mirror, David smiled to see that Dave had fallen back to sleep, drool dribbling onto the front of his sweatshirt in a small puddle. 

Once the traffic started flowing again, David heads into the city, driving down the rows of shops and restaurants until he arrived at the guitar store. 

Pulling into an open parking space, he sighed, hoping Dave would sleep for a while, or at least until there wasn't a customer around. 

Shutting off the engine, David hops out and opens the back door, removing Dave's stroller and setting it up, loosening the straps so Dave wouldn't be so aggravated by them. 

He then moves to check Dave's diaper, frowning whenever he finds it to be soggy. 

"Oh, Davie...I can't change you right now...." David mumbles as he unbuckles Dave from his carseat, transferring him to his stroller. 

David checks to make sure the straps won't be too tight or irritating before he grabs the diaper bag and heads inside. 

Nick is leaning against the countertop, sipping on a cup of coffee and reading an article from the latest issue of "Rip" Magazine. 

Marty is looking through their entire inventory, double-checking to make sure there weren't any problems with their guitars.

David clears his throat as he pushes Dave behind the counter, nearly bumping into Nick, who looked up from his magazine. 

His eyebrows raise in surprise at seeing Dave asleep in the stroller and he shakes his head confusedly. 

"Well, good morning to you, too, Nick." David says as he checks on Dave before turning his attention to Nick. 

"Sorry for asking, but I gotta know....what's up with the stroller and pacifier?" Nick asks. 

David sighs, running a hand through his hair, afraid to tell Nick everything at once. 

"Well, I told you he OD'd, but when he woke up, he was like a baby mentally. He can't walk, talk or use the bathroom on his own, so I've been taking care of him." 

Nick nods, but is still shocked and confused, trying to wrap his head around this. 

"So, you said he's like a baby? Does he...wear diapers and drink bottles, all that stuff? Does he understand you?" 

David nods. "I think so, and yes, he has to wear diapers. I feed him a bottle but he can still eat solid foods with no issue." 

Nick frowns. "It must be hard taking care of him. You should've told me, I would've helped you...if you needed it....if you still need it." 

"That's very kind of you, Nick, but I think I've got the hang of it. If I need anything, I'll let you know. You're like a brother to me." David smiles. 

"It's no problem, really. What kind of friend would I be if I let you go on this parenting journey alone?" Nick asks.

He then turns his attention to Dave, who let out a whine as he began to wake up, rubbing at his eyes and stretching. 

Squirming from his wet diaper, Dave whimpers, reaching for David and fussing whenever he discovers he's been strapped into another contraption. 

When was Daddy going to learn that he hated that?

"Oh, Davie. Such a fussy boy you are! My goodness!" David coos, shushing Dave as he does his best to calm him, the stale smell of urine becoming present. 

Nick cleared his throat before speaking. "Hey...I think the little guy might need a diaper change. He really smells like pee, and a wet diaper can certainly cause fussiness." 

Unbuckling Dave, David lifts him into his arms, cradling him as he uses his free hand to check his diaper, which was close to leaking.

"Oh, yes. Someone's got a very soggy bottom. We need to get you changed, sweetheart." David coos. 

"I can help you, if you'd like. It would probably be a lot easier." Nick says, picking up Dave's diaper bag. 

"That'd be great. I could definitely use the help since he's being so fussy."

Nick nods, trying to find a space to change Dave that wasn't a disgusting restroom floor. 

"How about we change him in the break room? We can just disinfect it after." David says, bouncing Dave to try and calm him, alerting the attention of Marty.

"Yeah, that'd be perfect, we can use one of the couches in there, then wipe it down." 

David nods, following Nick into the breakroom, with Marty feeling very confused about what he's just witnessed, sincerely hoping it was a dream.

Lying Dave down atop a changing mat, David continues to shush his whines, digging in the diaper bag for another pacifier, which he clips to his shirt collar. 

Nick finds Dave's Lamby, showing it to him with a smile as he does his best to comfort the upset "baby."

"Look, Davie, Nick's got your Lamby! Why don't you cuddle him while Daddy gets you all nice and dry again?" David coos. 

Dave whimpers behind his pacifier and takes the lamb into his arms, rubbing the soft, fleece material against his face, liking the way it feels. 

Nick smiles as he notices that Dave is beginning to relax, handing David a diaper, wipes and powder. 

"Aww. You know, I hate to admit it, but he looks really...adorable like this. I wouldn't mind babysitting sometime." 

David smiles. "Well, I'm sure we could work on something like that. Dave's pretty clingy and he doesn't like being away from me for long periods of time." 

"That would be awesome! We'd have lots of fun together, or if he just wants to cuddle and snuggle the whole time, I'm fine with that, too." 

"He's not very active, but he loves to cuddle with me, especially when he's having a nummy baba. Isn't that right, Davie?" David coos, taping a dry diaper on Dave. 

He snaps up his overalls and moves to dispose of the wet diaper, washing his hands after. 

Dave reaches for David, head resting on his shoulder as he's picked up, Nick moving to sanitize the couch.

The three then head back out, David buckling Dave into his stroller once more, greeting Marty as he approached them. 

"So this is real, huh? Sorry, I thought I was dreaming whenever I saw Dave crying and you holding him like a baby." 

David shakes his head. "I completely understand your confusion, and I can explain why Dave's in a stroller and has a pacifier." 

He leans against the countertop and begins to explain Dave's situation to Marty, who looks quite baffled by what he's hearing, though he does his best to be understanding. 

"So, he's like an oversized baby, but only mentally? Okay, I think I understand. I'm sorry you have to go through this. No one should have to." Marty frowns. 

"It's okay, really." David says, looking up as a customer entered, hoping Dave wouldn't draw too much attention to himself.

Thankfully, Dave stays fairly quiet, making a soft noise as he cuddled his Lamby close, moving from sucking on his pacifier, to chewing on his knuckles. 

David frowns at that, but turns to greet the customer as they approached the counter, ready to purchase a Fender Stratocaster. 

"I hope you enjoy your purchase! Have fun playing!" He smiles, giving them their change before they leave. 

Once the customer was gone, David turned to check on Dave, who currently had his knuckles coated in drool and teeth marks. 

Nick frowned, moving to examine Dave's knuckles, only to have the "baby" give him a whimper, pouting softly. 

"Is he...teething? Or does he do that a lot? I know that babies sometimes do that if they're hungry." 

David shakes his head. "I don't know, but he's probably hungry again. He didn't have his bottle this morning, and it _is_ getting close to lunch time." 

"I can go pick up some food. What do you guys want? Is there anything special I should get for the baby?" Marty asks.

"No, he'll eat almost anything....except bananas." David says. 

He and Nick discuss things for a moment before deciding on Italian food, seeing how Dave seemed to love the pasta David had cooked the previous night. 

With that, Marty leaves, walking down the street to a local Italian restaurant to get their lunch, leaving the other three alone. 

Heading to the breakroom, David leaves Dave under the watchful eye of Nick while he prepares a bottle of formula for him, adding a bit of sugar to sweeten it. 

He smiles as he hears Nick playing peek-a-boo with Dave, heart melting as he turns to see the happy look on his baby's face. 

Dave looked so happy and for once, he wasn't even upset about David being away from him. 

Allowing the bottle to cool, David returns to Dave, taking him into his arms and cradling him, humming softly as he brings the nipple to his lips. 

Dave takes to the bottle eagerly this time, suckling down the warm, sweet formula inside, happy to be close to David and to hear his heartbeat. 

"There we go, that's my good baby. You like having your baba, don't you, Davie?" David coos, gently running his fingers through Dave's hair. 

Nick smiles, scooting a bit closer to David and blushing whenever his hand brushed past. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that." He says, looking away. 

David shakes his head. "No, it's fine. I, uh, well....I guess I'm kinda single now...if you wanna...." 

He doesn't finish, clearing his throat as he pulls the now-empty bottle from Dave's lips, propping him up to be burped.

David rubs and pats Dave's back until he manages to let out a decent burp, cuddling back into his arms. 

Nick stares at David for a moment before making his move, grabbing at his face and pressing his lips against his. 

David lets out a startled noise, but relaxes once he realizes what Nick's doing, closing his eyes and leaning into the kiss. 

Now returning with their lunch, Marty opens the breakroom door, eyebrows raising in surprise at what he was witnessing. 

"Hey, guys, I'm back with the food. Uhhh...what's going on here?" He asks, placing the takeaway containers onto the nearby table. 

The two men blush and quickly pull away from each other, David running a hand through his hair. 

"We were just, uh, playing a game. David lost, so he had to kiss me as punishment." Nick says, hoping Marty will believe his obvious lie. 

"Yeah! It was just a stupid game! We get bored around here, you know?" David chuckles as he moves to sit at the table with Dave in his lap.

Nick soon joins him, offering to help with the baby in any way he can. 

Marty shakes his head as he turns on the tv, taking a bottle of water from the fridge, feeling awkward about Nick and David kissing. 

Lunch goes as expected, and so does the rest of the day, with David and Nick being closer to each other than ever, and Dave snoozing away in his stroller. 

A few more customers came and went and it seemed everyone was happy once the work day was finally over. 

Buckling Dave into his carseat, David let out a tired sigh, thankful that Dave hadn't caused too much trouble at work. 

As he made his way home, he couldn't help but think about Nick and why he'd suddenly done that. 

It's not like he didn't want a relationship, it's just that Dave technically, was his boyfriend...but now he was his baby, and Nick would be a great second caregiver for Dave. 

Needless to say, David was very conflicted about the subject and hoped it would sort itself out. 

If not, then Dave could expect twice the love and cuddles he was already getting.

Maybe this was a good thing....


	5. Chapter 5

The sound of Dave crying wakes David from his sleep the next morning, and he groans as he sits up on the bed. 

Switching on the nearby floor lamp, he squints at the bright light and rubs his face, Dave’s cries quickly grabbing his attention once more. 

Frowning, he quickly moves to check on his baby, shushing him as he tugs down his pajama bottoms, revealing his soaking wet diaper. 

“I figured a soggy diaper was the culprit, Davie. Let’s get you all nice and dry...” David coos. 

He grabs a diaper and changing supplies from the bedside table, stifling a yawn as he searches for Dave’s pacifier, which had fallen onto the carpeted floor. 

“Oh, Davie. You dropped your paci, too? Aww, my poor baby. You must’ve been having a crazy dream last night, huh?” 

David searches for another pacifier, thankfully finding one behind a spare container of baby powder. 

He quickly returns to Dave, easing the pacifier into his mouth and stroking his hair, frowning whenever he feels how hot Dave’s face is. 

It wasn’t particularly too warm in their house at the moment, and if it was, Dave’s skin shouldn’t feel that hot. 

Perhaps that was why Dave had been crying, not just from his wet diaper...but from being sick. 

David shook his head, not even considering the possibility that Dave was sick and was possibly running a fever. 

“No...he can’t be sick. This has gotta be from withdrawals....” He thinks to himself as he slips a new diaper beneath Dave’s bottom. 

David pauses for a moment, wondering if he should take Dave’s temperature, just to be completely sure. 

Of course, the only way he’d be able to check is rectally, as Dave wouldn’t understand the procedure of oral temp checking.

Leaving Dave alone for the moment, David quickly slips into the nearby bathroom, rummaging through the medicine cabinet until he finds a thermometer, grabbing some vaseline on the way out. 

He praises Dave for being a good boy, but frowns once he sees how miserable he looked, forehead now covered with tiny sweat beads as he furrows his brows.

David knows Dave will hate him for what he’s about to do, not understanding the reason behind it. 

“Alright, Davie. Daddy needs to check your temperature, okay? It’s not going to feel very good, but it’ll only be for a minute, I promise.” David explains, despite getting no response from Dave. 

He frowns, coating the tip of the thermometer in vaseline before spreading Dave’s legs and lifting them slightly, shushing Dave as he pushes the tip into his bottom. 

Dave’s eyes widen at that and he whimpers, pacifier falling from his lips as he lets out a pained wail, confused as to why Daddy was shoving something into his bottom like that. 

“I know, sweetheart. Daddy’s so sorry. Just try to hold on a little bit longer for me, okay? It’ll be over soon.” David coos, gently rubbing Dave’s thigh. 

He waits a few more seconds before carefully pulling the thermometer out, frowning at the results, which revealed that Dave did, in fact, have a fever. 

“Oh, my poor baby. You have a fever! No wonder you’ve been crying and fussy! I think we need to take you to the hospital.” 

As much as David hates to go to the hospital, he knows Dave needs to so his fever doesn’t get worse. 

“Let’s get your diaper taped on and get you dressed, sweetheart.” David says as he grabs the nearby tube of baby powder, sprinkling on a generous amount. 

He rubs it in before wiping off his hands and taping the new diaper on snugly, making sure it’s not too tight or irritating Dave in any way. 

“Alright, Davie. Let’s get you out of those dirty pajamas and into something comfy.” 

David tugs off Dave’s pajamas and tosses them aside, gently patting his bare tummy before moving to grab a onesie and some sweatpants from the nearby chest of drawers. 

He frowns as he returns to Dave, who had spat out his pacifier, whining unhappily as he suckled on his hands, drool dribbling down his knuckles. 

“No, sweetheart. Don’t do that, it’s yucky. Where’s your paci, huh? Or does Daddy need to get you a teething ring instead?” 

Dave fusses whenever David pries his hands from his mouth, struggling as hard as he could to pull them free of his grip. 

David sighs, shaking his head. “Davie, no. You’ve already got a fever, honey. I’m not letting you get even more sick. I think I need to put mittens on you.” 

He frowns as he then proceeds to dig through a box of miscellaneous items he’d bought at the medical supply store for Dave, thankfully finding the mittens shortly after. 

David knew Dave wasn’t going to like them, but it seemed they were necessary at the moment and he really had no choice in the matter.

Returning to Dave once more, David braced himself for the incoming tantrum as he grabbed Dave’s hands, slipping the mittens over them and buckling them snugly, but not too tight. 

Dave, of course, didn’t like that at all, lower lip pouting as he desperately tried to remove them, squirming and whining unhappily. 

“I know, Davie. They’re not very fun, are they? Daddy’s so sorry it had to come to this. I really didn’t want to.”

David shushes Dave, sitting on the bed and pulling him into his arms, rocking him gently and humming to him in an attempt to calm him. 

He glances at his alarm clock, groaning when he sees that it’s already time for him to head to work….but he couldn’t today...not with Dave running a fever. 

“Alright, Davie. Daddy’s gonna get you dressed then he’s got to make a phone call, okay?” 

Dave looks at David, eyelids heavy and yawn escaping his lips as he curls into him and begins to fall asleep.

“Well, you’ve just made my job a whole lot easier, Davie.” David whispers, lying Dave on the bed and slipping his pacifier into his mouth. 

He quickly tugs the onesie and sweatpants onto Dave before hoisting him into his arms and heading into the living room. 

Sitting down on the couch with Dave cuddled into him, David dials Nick’s number, hoping he hasn’t left for work yet. 

Nick thankfully picks up after the second ring, smiling once he hears David’s voice on the other line. 

“ _I was just about to call you. Marty told me to tell you they found a gas leak in one of the buildings next to ours, so we can’t go into work until we get an okay from the city._ ” 

David frowns at that, but he understands, knowing they never needed to put themselves or Dave in such a scary situation. 

“Well, I guess that’s a good thing, then. I was going to tell you I couldn’t come in today, anyways. Dave has a fever, so I’m getting him ready to go to the hospital.” He says. 

“ _He has a fever? Aww, poor baby. I can help you out with him if you want. It’s not like I’m doing anything today, anyway_.” 

David smiles. “That would be wonderful, but you don’t have to, Nick. Why don’t you catch up on sleep or something?” 

Nick shakes his head. “ _No, David. I wanna help you...you’re going to have your hands full. I’ll be there in 15 minutes_.” 

Before David could protest, the call cut off and the operator's voice could be heard once more. 

He sighs softly, holding Dave close to him and frowning from the heat that was emanating from him, wiping some sweat from his forehead as he begins to wake. 

“Oh, Davie, you’re burning up, baby. Your clothes are getting kinda wet. Hopefully Nick will be here soon so we can get you feeling better.” 

Dave just whimpers at that, squirming uncomfortably from the sweat pooling beneath his hair, hating the way it felt against his back. 

“What’s the matter, sweetheart? Why are you so squirmy, do you need a diaper change? Are your clothes getting too uncomfortable?” 

David sits Dave up, slipping a hand beneath his onesie to check his diaper, which was dry and clean. 

He frowns at feeling how damp his mane of hair was, figuring that was why he was squirming so much. 

“Oh, honey, your hair’s all wet. Let’s go take care of that before Nick gets here.” David says, standing and carrying Dave to the nearby bathroom. 

He sits Dave on the toilet, placing a towel behind him for support as he brushes his hair, pulling it into a much cooler ponytail. 

“There we go. I bet that feels a lot better, huh?” David coos, lifting Dave back into his arms as the doorbell rang. 

He holds Dave on his hip and unlocks the door, greeting Nick with a tired smile. 

“Hey, Nick. Thanks for coming over. You honestly didn’t have to. Please come in and excuse the mess…” David says as he bounces Dave, who whimpers. 

Nick smiles at Dave as he walks inside, closing the door behind him. 

He can tell that Dave’s got a pretty high fever, brows furrowing at the amount of sweat dripping from his face. 

“Looks like his fever’s spiking. We need to get to the hospital right away or there might be really bad consequences.” 

David frowns, but nods, shushing Dave as he grabs the diaper bag and their house keys, following Nick out the door before locking it. 

“Would you mind strapping him into his carseat for me? He’s not gonna like it, but we can calm him down on the way.” 

Nick nods, taking Dave from David and gently sitting him in the carseat, cooing to him in a soft voice as he tugs the straps over him. 

He offers Dave his Lamby, but Dave was having none of it, tossing the toy in a fit of confusion and anger. 

“Is he always this fussy when it comes to his carseat?” Nick asks, holding Dave in place as he buckles him in. 

David shook his head. “No. Not at first, but yesterday I could tell he was really mad at me for putting him in it.” 

Nick nodded. “That’s understandable. I can definitely see why he’d be fussy about it now. He’s feeling sick and icky and being forced into it. I’m sure he’s no doubt confused.” 

David frowns at that, nodding in agreement as he shushes Dave’s fussy whimpers. 

“Yeah, he’s probably mad about those mittens, too. But he won’t keep his hands out of his mouth.” 

“Oh, I must be stupid or something, I didn't even notice those. I bet poor Davie thinks we’re trying to torture him.” 

“He probably does. I feel awful.” David says as he starts the engine, allowing Nick to sit in the back as they make their way to a nearby hospital - the same one Dave had been taken to after overdosing. 

Finding a decent parking spot, David parks, unbuckling his seatbelt and moving to help Nick with Dave, who had since ceased his fussing and looked miserable, seemingly struggling to breathe. 

“Davie? Oh God. I think he’s having trouble breathing! Come on, let’s get him inside, now!” David panics, taking Dave from his carseat and carrying him inside, Nick following behind. 

His frantic behavior alerts the attention of a nurse, who immediately comes to assist him, asking what the problem was, along with other important questions. 

Nick frowned as he watched David panic, moving to calm him so he could answer the questions correctly instead of with the jumbled, garbled speech he was using. 

After seeing how profusely Dave was sweating and hearing his shallow breathing, the three were escorted back to a room, where Dave’s blood pressure and heartbeat were checked.

“I think we’ve treated him here before...not too long ago, actually, for an overdose. Yep...looks he had a whole cocktail of drugs in his system that night. He’s lucky to be alive.” 

David nods. “Yes, he is, and I’m going to make sure he never does another harmful drug again...I won’t let him destroy himself.” 

“Well, that’s good. His blood pressure is higher than normal and his heart’s beating just a bit faster than usual. It’s not life threatening, but we should do some blood work to make sure everything else is okay.” 

David frowns at that, but nods, though he knows Dave’s probably going to be very upset by having his blood drawn.

The nurse steps out for a moment, returning a few minutes later with a basket full of lab vials, syringes, tourniquets and bandages. 

She smiles at Dave as she approaches him, aware of his current mental state, making sure he was comfortable throughout the procedure. 

“Okay, sweetie. I’m just gonna get a little bit of blood from you. It won’t take but a minute, I promise.” 

She gently rubs Dave’s arm before tying the tourniquet around it, shushing his whimpers as she looks for a decent vein, finding one immediately. 

Dave looks at her with a frown, eyes widening as he watches her prepare a syringe, along with a vial, not wanting that thing to go in his arm. 

He whimpers, batting at her with a mittened hand in an attempt to keep the needle from going in him. 

David frowns, moving to grab Dave, though he was still fussing and thrashing about, despite the fact that he felt icky from fever. 

“Calm down, Davie. They’ve just gotta borrow a little bit of your blood so we can find out what’s wrong and get you better!” David coos, gasping whenever Dave bites him. 

Nick furrows his brows, moving to help by wrapping his arms around Dave, essentially giving him one big bear hug, gently stroking his hair and cooing to him. 

This only helps a little and Dave still cries out whenever the needle pierces his skin, blood flowing into the vial immediately after. 

A few minutes pass before the procedure is over, the nurse taking the blood to be analyzed. 

Dave whimpers as he curls up on the bed, eyes red and tear-stained and bottom lip poked out in a sad pout. 

David frowns, hating himself for all the hell he’s put poor Dave through today, knowing he wouldn’t understand the reason behind it. 

Tears form in his eyes and he sniffles, sharing a look with Nick before he starts to cry, which only upsets Dave further. 

Nick frowns, wrapping his arms around David and pressing a gentle kiss to his hair. 

“Shh...it’s okay. We’ll find out what’s causing his fever, and he’ll be his cute baby self again in no time...” 

David sniffles once more, pulling away from Nick, giving him a meek nod. 

Nick smiles softly as he wipes some of the stray tears from David’s face, pausing whenever their eyes meet, staying that way for several seconds. 

He honestly wants to kiss David again, to prove he wanted and could be more than just a friend to him. 

This time, David is the one that initiates the kiss, leaning into Nick and closing his eyes as he presses a gentle kiss to his lips. 

Nick, now getting the picture, runs his fingers through David’s hair as he kisses him back, tongues swirling together passionately. 

He unbuckles David’s jeans, slipping a hand along the front of his boxers, grinning at how hard he currently was. 

As much as he wanted to fuck David right then, he decided it wouldn’t be the best place, looking up once the door opened. 

David pulls away from Nick, zipping up his jeans and blushing as he flips his hair back, greeting the doctor. 

“Well, I’ll just give you the simple answer as to why Dave has a fever. He’s going through withdrawals. Feeling like you have the flu or a cold is a common symptom, and so is fever. I can prescribe a medicine to take the edge off, if you like?” 

David nods. “Yes, that would be wonderful! I know he’s going to need it bad.” 

“Alright, I’ll give you a prescription for it, and you can turn it into your pharmacy at any time. In the meanwhile, keep your eye on him. If he gets worse, please don’t hesitate to bring him back.” 

“Okay, I definitely will. Thank you so much.” David says, standing and lifting a now quiet Dave into his arms, Nick grabbing the diaper bag before they left. 

“Should we get that medicine now, or just go back to your place?” Nick asks. 

David shakes his head. “I don’t know, honestly. I’ve never heard of medicine that helps with withdrawals....” 

Nick nods. “Yeah, me either. Besides, I don’t think he’ll be able to swallow a pill. I think we should wait, so we can spend more time together. I love you two.” 

As they turn onto the street to head home, Dave feels an unpleasant pressure in his tummy, squirming and whining softly. 

The pains increase with every minute that passes, eventually, they become unbearable. 

Nick glances at Dave with a frown, figuring he’s fussing about being in the carseat again. 

“It’s okay, buddy. I know, it’s not very fun to be all strapped in, is it?” He coos.

Eventually, they become too much for poor Dave, his stomach rumbles and he leans forward softly, straining and biting down on his Lamby’s ear. 

“Oh, Davie, are you making a messy, baby?” David coos, knowing that Dave probably owed most of his fussiness to the fact that he needed to poop. 

A few minutes later, Dave lets go of his Lamby, relaxing into his carseat with a sigh as he feels immensely better. 

Nick chuckles. “I know exactly how you feel, Davie. I bet you feel a whole lot better now, huh?” 

Dave replies with a gurgle as they pull into the driveway, David unbuckling Dave and carrying him inside for a diaper change. 

Nick decides to cook lunch for the three of them while David takes care of changing Dave’s diaper, figuring food would help Dave feel better, too. 

He hums to himself as he cooks, wiping some sweat from his forehead as he does.

Returning to Nick a few minutes later, David smiles, balancing Dave on his hip as he presses a kiss to his cheek. 

Nick blushes at that, turning away from the vodka sauce he was making to press another kiss to David’s lips and one to Dave’s forehead. 

“I love you guys. Thanks for letting me cook for you. I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen at home.” 

David shakes his head as he bounces Dave slightly. 

“Oh, Nick. You don’t have to thank me. I’m actually really glad you’re here. I don’t know if I could’ve handled Dave on my own, and...I love you, too.”

Nick smiles at that, hoping he’d be spending a lot more time with these two. 


End file.
